


Only Savior

by mywinterbuckybear



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst, Canon Compliant, Dramatic Loki, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff, Loki (Marvel) Needs a Hug, Loki - Freeform, Loki Falls In Love, Loki and Thor Are Not Related, Loki deserves happiness, Loki is a Diva, Loki is a silvertongue, Loki is in shock, Love, No Smut, Prequel to The Forbidden Realm, Queen!Reader, Reader-Insert, Smut, Takes place right after Thor, The first Thor movie, but yeah, he knows how to make do, hes still so extra, i try not to stray to much from canon, loki friggason, loki is smart, loki laufeyson - Freeform, loki seduces queens, long updates, there is a lot of new information, this is what happened after he fell from the bifrost
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-12
Updated: 2019-05-27
Packaged: 2020-03-01 10:21:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,449
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18798409
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mywinterbuckybear/pseuds/mywinterbuckybear
Summary: Loki has fallen from the bifrost, but where to? This is the story  of what happened after he has fallen and landed in the realm barred from outsiders for hundreds of years. This is the story of how the elusive silvertongue has tried to seduce the queen for his own gain but foolishly fell for her instead.Prequel for The Forbidden Realm





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'm gonna be indulging myself a lot SO PREPARED TO BE AS CONFUSED AS POSSIBLE. (but you should read The Forbidden Realm first but you can read this one as stand-alone if you want, that one is just finished sooooo) Enjoy~~~~

“No, Loki,” the allfather answered. The light, the hope and even the defiance in the prince’s eyes vanished. His hand stiffened.

Thor panicked, but it was too late. Loki already decided. “No. Loki, no. NO!!!”

* * *

 

_So, this is where it ends._

_My body falling to its doom. No energy to even dare open my eyes. The moment of my fall dragging on for seconds to hours until I couldn’t possibly decipher the difference anymore._

_And with no one to remember my story._

_The only worthy end for a monster like me._

_But it appears as if fate has even darker plans for me._

Loki groaned, but his throat felt too coarse that it seemed he could draw blood. His back was laid painfully on the ground. He winced as he stretched his limbs.

With aching bones, he clenched his fist that brushed what felt like delicate blades of grass against his palm.

In his confusion, he forced his eyes to open, only to be blinded by the sight above. He lifted his hand to cover his vision, the warmth seeping through his fingers onto his face.

“Light?” Loki croaked, realizing how many physically drained he felt. He couldn’t even begin to think of his current situation.

With great determination, Loki pulled himself up to a sitting position. He flinched when he tried to stretch his back, a few bones in his spine popping painfully back in to place.

He closed his eyes for a few moments, the blur in his vision still hasn’t gone away. That was until his ears picked up a sound.

Loki turned his head, only to see people standing over him. He squinted his eyes, willing himself to see them. All he could decipher was the color of the armor they wore and the weapons they carried. Before he could open his mouth to ask where he was, they beat him to it.

“Restrain him,” the person on his right strictly ordered.

Loki’s head snapped upwards, shock transforming his face.

“Wh-What?” he flustered, eyes flickering to the men in armor all coming closer. He tried to move backwards but they already got ahold of him. “What did I-”

“You should’ve never came here,” one of the soldiers as they forcefully took his arms behind his back, trying to get him in what felt like cuffs. He winced away and struggled from the rough treatment but the soldiers didn’t let up.

“Come where?” Loki asked, fear mixed with confusion evident in his tone. His words were shaky as he tried to figure out what was happening.

“You are not supposed to be here,” one of them repeated, as if drilling in his head that he made a fatal mistake.

At this point, Loki could’ve been shaking. The restraints was tight and nipping onto his skin. He didn’t have any energy in him to fight. His vision was still blurred from the light and he couldn’t see his captors’ faces. He was helpless. One could almost see the absolute fear and desperation in his eyes. “I don’t- I don’t understand- please-”

And then darkness, complete and utter darkness was what replaced the little vision Loki had. A bag must’ve been placed on his head, but it didn’t feel ordinary. Loki felt as if he couldn’t speak. All sound from the outside were all distorted. All he could clearly hear was his own labored breaths.

Loki was then forced onto his feet. His knees buckled from the action but the two men had strong hold on him, more than ready to drag him if they had to. With nowhere to go and no choice in sight, Loki followed, his paranoia eating him up from the inside.

“This is no place he should be,” the man who ordered the arrest firmly pointed out. “No man should’ve been able to find this place. Let alone find it accidentally.”

“He’s still pretty lucky though,” the soldier to his right answered as they watched the man be escorted away to the palace. “He could’ve fallen into that junk place.”

“Lucky?” Another soldier repeated. “He’s about to taken to his death.”

“Not yet,” the man argued, feeling somewhat mixed emotions with the situation. But he knew she would know what to do. “The royal highness will still have to determine what to do with him.”

* * *

 

“We have the man, my queen,” the man greeted, bowing to the woman on the throne.

Loki was in total darkness. He tried to remember the directions he was being lead to but to no avail. His panic got the better of him. Once they abruptly stopped and he felt the men salute. He knew they’ve arrived.

It didn’t take long before they pushed him to the ground. They made him kneel and by how hard they made his knees hit the floor, it was evident that he had to stay in position. He was quiet, his body language was calm. But in truth, he was terrified. He could feel eyes all boring holes in his body. He had no idea what will be of him in the next moments and he was too afraid to try.

Meanwhile, one of those sets of eyes belonged to the woman, sitting on the magnificent and bejeweled throne that was raised with a short flight of stairs. She watched him in curiosity with cold eyes. She was filled with questions and the sight of the man in front of her filled her with silent rage. He was relaxed, his body calm and collected, almost mocking her with his existence.

“Unmask him,” she ordered, her jaw lightly clenched as she kept her face neutral.

Loki barely recognized the presence of different voice when the bag was pulled from his head. The sudden rush of light was like a breath of fresh air for him. But it was quickly taken away once he saw the sight that sat before him.

A woman, wearing elegant and vibrant red dress that was adorned by bands of carved gold. The crown atop her head, shone and glistened but it served no distraction from her face as she continued to look down on him with the coldest eyes that felt like it could see right through him. Loki froze under her gaze. He couldn’t look away from her. He felt bewitched.

“You are an unwanted and unwelcome visitor,” the woman started, her powerful voice bouncing against the silent walls.

“You were never supposed to find nor enter our realm,” she pressed as she kept her chin up, never failing to put him in his place just with the dominance reeking from her glance.

“The very sins you’ve foolishly made of trespassing into our world and disrupting the peace of my citizens are punishable by death by any way I please,” she continued, slightly leaning forward, a ghost of a smirk appearing on the edge of her lips as her calm words slowly felt nothing less than a threat.

The woman, on the other hand, knew the effects of her words on the man. She could see the fear and doubt in his eyes but it was different, there was something different. He didn’t shake, he didn’t show weakness, he kept firm despite it all. It only made her more interested to know what was inside his head.

“Do you have anything to say for yourself?” She taunted, the danger lurking in her tone as she looked at Loki straight in the eyes, conveying her message straight and clear. “Before we make waste of you,” she ended.

There was silence, absolute silence. No one in the room dared to make a sound. The soldiers, servants, councilmen and council women all waited for the man’s answer. Loki opened his mouth, his jaw shaking as his mind grew numb. His eyes never straying from the queen’s.

“Valhallan Goddess?” Loki whispered under his breath, both fear and awe evident in his words as he kept his eyes on her.

[Y/N] blinked, the smirk decorating her lips slowly faltered as her forehead furrowed, leaning more forward. “Pardon?”

“Are you the Goddess of Valhalla?” Loki asked again in one breath. He swallowed, fear consuming his words. “Am I in Valhalla?”

“Am I to be killed again in your hands?” He asked in all seriousness, remembering the stories of a beautiful goddess in Valhalla that would bestow a judgement on the undeserving dead.

“Valhallan goddess?” The queen repeated after a short period, chuckling right after. She couldn’t believe what she just heard. Although, she couldn’t stop the smile from her lips.

“What mockery,” the man beside Loki outraged. He walked towards Loki, unsheathed sword and readied his blade.

“My queen, permission to cut his tongue off before we separate his head from his body,” the man spat, holding the blade dangerously to Loki’s neck. But Loki didn’t even teach, his eyes were still trained forward, not even flinching from the cold sharp metal pressed onto his skin. He still had his eyes on her. This only piqued the queen’s curiosity even more.

“A moment, General Falti,” the queen ordered, raising her finger slightly.

Her orders was automatically followed as the general stepped back, sending a warning glare to the man but Loki could care less. He was in a trance, confused and didn’t quite understand what was happening around him. [Y/N] could see that, clear as day.

“Valhallan goddess, you say?” She started, raising an eyebrow at the poor man. “You really don’t know where you are, do you?”

The queen observed him, her eyes scanning over his features, taking note of his body language, studying the fear situated in his eyes. She smirked. “Well, let me inform you then.”

“I am not that goddess, torturing the undeserving souls in that plagues Valhalla. But one you should fear more dearly,” she continued, capturing everyone’s whole attention in the room. The queen straightened her back more, confidence and elegance radiating off of her as she said her next words with pride.

“I am [Y/N], daughter of the fallen Warlord Kaaldeen and the late Princess Malticia, Master Sorceress, Goddess of War and Chaos, and the proud Queen of Aikenheim, the final realm.”

“Aiken-?” Loki breathed out, testing the word on his tongue before it hit him. His eyes bulged as he recognized what it meant. “The forbidden realm?” He stuttered out, remembering the stories he was told and warned about.

[Y/N]’s eyebrows raised before a smile adored her lips. “So you know? Then, you are wise.”

“If you are aware,” [Y/N] paused, tilting her head slightly. The action was minuscule but it was more than enough to turn her sweet words into something threatening. “Then you would know that you should have never came here,” she whispered out, her tone cutting through the silence of the throne room.

“Still,” she pressed, forcing a smile into her lips, “welcome to Aikenheim.”

“You have trespassed into my domain, caused a stirring in my people and outright violated the one law we’ve kept firmly ever since our exile,” [Y/N] listed, her tone getting more and more sharper as she continued on.“

"I’m sure you know the proper punishment for all of that,” [Y/N] pointed out. If he was smart to know of their realm, then he should be smart enough to know the severity of his mistake.

“But you were right with one thing,” [Y/N] acknowledged, smirking at the slightest as her features continued to soften as opposed to her harsh words.

“Your death will definitely be from my hand.”

“So now, I shall ask again, foolish one,” [Y/N] whispered, raising her chin as she towered over him. Her beautiful voice contrasting the poison laced in her words, “how do you plead?”

Loki was speechless. He was right in front of her. He could think of anything to reply. He was terrified but filled with awe. He didn’t know what to say. So he only breathed out the first thing that came out of his mind. “Enraptured.”

And there were silence. Everyone in the room either froze, taken back or gotten confused whether or not they heard the prisoner well. Even Queen [Y/N] herself blinked as she leaned back, silently shocked and somewhat speechless from that answer. No one would ever think that anyone would use their last words as a compliment to the one who bestowed the punishment. It was too absurd to happen until now.

“Pathetic last words,” one of the women closest to the queen boomed, obviously couldn’t hide her reaction as she stepped forward. “Soldiers, take him away. ”

“He is not fit to be here,” the woman spat, glaring at Loki with nothing else but disgust.

The woman might have had some kind of title because the soldiers stepped forward, ready to follow her orders. The general who was standing-by understood and stepped forward, bowing towards the queen. “The guillotine is ready, your highness,” he informed.

He raised his hand and the soldiers immediately followed, taking hold of Loki’s arms, forcing him on his feet. Panic started to swell within him but he still couldn’t avert his eyes from the radiant queen. “We shall bring him immediately and all will be done as if nothing ever happened.”

Without any words from the queen as she only continued to observe quietly, the soldiers all bowed in regret before General Falti turned and lead the soldiers who forcibly had to turn Loki and rip his gaze away from Queen [Y/N].

Loki followers his captors shortly, lowering his gaze as he matched the long steps of the soldiers taking him. He doesn’t even know what to expect. The queen didn’t try to say anything and now he would face death because of it.

While Loki was facing the slowly his imminent death by decapitation, Queen [Y/N] merely tilted her head as she wondered.

“Has anyone else noticed? It appears as if our surprise guest is quite literally stunned,” she pointed out, talking to her council who were talking amongst themselves of the sister.

“He’s completely out of it,” she chuckled, remembering the face of the man as he knelt before her.

“From his words alone, my queen, it seems he suspects himself to be dead,” a councilman mentioned, a bit of humor on his tone, “and is incredibly baffled if he is or is not.”

“He even thought this might be Valhalla, facing council for his past mistakes by the Valhallan Goddess,” he added, letting out a small amused laugh.

“I’d say it’s a natural reaction,” a councilwoman defended before facing towards [Y/N]. “It’s understandable. He did fall thousands upon thousands of feet into space, my queen.”

[Y/N] nodded, before she raised her gazed back up, staring where the man had disappeared to. “And yet, he fell here,” she muttered.

The queen’s handmaiden, Mila, stepped forward and bowed. She raised her head only to ask. “My queen?”

“Out of every other chance he could’ve had, he fell here,” [Y/N] repeated louder, letting her gaze as she let the thought dwell in her head. She glanced to her people who all silenced themselves as they listened to their queen.

“He could’ve died the way down, he could’ve been caught by random ravagers, or he could’ve even fallen to that Sakaar,” [Y/N] listed, going over everything that had better odds. Her forehead furrowed as she went over it all until a small chuckle found its way out of her lips.

“But  _still_ , he found his way here.”

[Y/N] hummed, gazing upwards, the thought of that man continuing to make her ponder. “How peculiar, how philosophical, how… interesting,” she whispered.

The council, as well as the soldiers and trusted maidens all murmured amongst themselves, confused as to what their queen was getting to.

One of the councilmen cleared his throat before steeping forward. “What do you mean, your majesty?”

[Y/N] only smiled, leaning back on her throne, tapping her hand on the armrest. “Bring him back.”

Much to Loki’s utter distress, just before the doors at the end of hall was opened, the soldiers manhandling him stopped. Loki worriedly glanced at the men who wordlessly turned around and walked back towards the throne room. This time he let himself be dragged, now completely confused on whatever the hell is going on.

It didn’t take long before they reached back. Loki was placed again on his knees in front of Queen [Y/N]. The atmosphere of the room was no lighter as everyone had their eyes on him, silent and indifferent.

“My queen.” The soldiers bowed. The queen merely raised her hand, dismissing them, her eyes never leaving Loki.

“Present yourself,” [Y/N] stated, directly talking to him, lazily leaning against her throne. “And don’t make me repeat my words.”

Loki swallowed the forming lump in dry throat. He couldn’t think straight, at the back of his mind he wondered why he was still alive while the other was still deep in shock. But his mouth still opened. As if the queen already had that much authority over him… and she did.

“I- I am.. Loki,” he stuttered, “Loki Odi-”

He stopped. He immediately stopped once it registered in his mind. This didn’t go unnoticed by [Y/N] as she raised an eyebrow at him. Loki pursed his lips as he thought of his next words again.

“Loki of.. of nowhere,” he concluded. He cast his eyes downwards, somehow feeling unworthy to even say those words. “I belong nowhere.”

“Nowhere?” [Y/N] asked, raising her eyebrows.

“What a vague and odd place to be from,” [Y/N] hummed, glancing at her hand, tapping her fingernail at her golden armrest, making an eerie click echo around the room. She chuckled. “Almost as if you’re mocking me.”

Loki’s automatically head shot up. He shook his head profusely. “I- I didn’t meant to. I sincerely apologize if I came off rude. That was not my intention at all. I just-”

“But your name,” [Y/N] interrupted, continuing to watch her hand, not ceasing from tapping her nail to have her gaze flicker towards him. “Loki?”

“Y-Yes.”

“Loki. Loki…” [Y/N] trailed, testing the name repeatedly on her tongue. She closed her eyes, her brows drew together, trying to decipher what that nagging question in her mind was trying to convey.

“Now, where have I heard of that name before?” [Y/N] started. This time, instead of looking down on him or giving him a stare of indifference, she was confused. “I am sure I’ve heard it somewhere.”

“It’s on the tip of my tongue.” [Y/N] placed her finger on her bottom lip, tapping on it, her gaze never leaving him until it hit her.  _Those same green eyes._

“Asgard,” she breathed out as the memory became clear.

“You were there.” [Y/N] pointed at the man who was taken back from her sudden action. “Loki. You were standing beside the allfather.”

“You’re an Odinson.”

That’s what caused Loki to break. He started to shake and his emotions acted first.

“I am not,” he firmly pressed, jaw clenched, fear momentarily forgotten. “I am and have never once been an Odinson!”

“Do not raise your tone to the queen!” The loud shout from the handmaiden was what sent Loki back to reality, making him realized his mistake.

But it was too late. His words had already echoed harshly against the walls of the throne room and basically slapped the queen in the face. What frightened Loki even more was that the queen’s face fell to an unreadable deadpan expression.

By this time around, the same handmaiden had steeped forward and faced her queen, fists clenched tight. “My queen, permission to lay waste of this trash this instant. He does not deserve to be given mercy-”

“Calm yourself, Mila,” [Y/N] interrupted, raising her hand gently, automatically silencing the pissed woman. Loki was quick at his feet.

“My apologies. I didn’t mean to raise my voice. My emotions got the best of-”

“Shhh…” [Y/N] placed her finger on her lips and Loki immediately followed and clamped his lips shut.

“So, you are no Odinson, alright,” [Y/N] accepted, knowing there must be a reason for that outburst. “I’ll take your word for it.”

“But,” [Y/N] pointed out, “you are or were still the prince of Asgard.” “Am I correct?”

“I-” Loki stopped himself. He didn’t know how to reply, he felt frozen. Yes, he was brought up as a prince. But has he ever actually truly been one? “No.”

That’s where [Y/N] genuinely smiled. “You are. Only a prince will hold the same composure as you have.”

“Most people would be running their mouth for miles, begging for their life, or maybe even keep their mouth shut to the grave.” [Y/N] stood from her throne, walking down the short flight of stairs, step by step inching closer towards him until she was right in front of him. “But not you.”

[Y/N] walked closer until he was only an arm’s length away, rendering Loki’s mind to mush as he finally saw her up close. Her eyes seemed as if they were magnificent fiery orbs of amber.

“Despite your immense shock and fear, you still maintained your posture, tried best to keep your manners and held that spirit.” [Y/N] reached forward, gently taking hold of Loki’s arm to help him up to him feet. Loki followed, somehow his legs didn’t seem as shaky as before. And the queen’s hand was warm, almost in a welcoming way.

[Y/N] smiled, letting her hand go back to her front. “You are no mere stranger, Loki.”

Loki was speechless, was in awe and was downright staring. Fortunately, the queen chose to ignore that before she made her next orders.

“General Falti,” she called to which the man immediately walked towards her. “Yes, your highness.”

Without removing eye contact with Loki, [Y/N] eyed his bonded arms. “Remove him from those chains at once.”

The man followed, making quick work of the binds behind Loki’s back that was no question making marks on his wrists.

“Handmaiden Shula,” [Y/N] called again as another woman stepped forwards and bowed at her, “please see to it that he be given more suitable clothing and give him a room more fitting for a guest.”

“I will, my queen,” she replied, full of respect.

“And Councilman Vanse,” [Y/N] called again, a small smirk appearing on the edge of her lips this time. Just when Loki thought she was already doing too much, she continued. “Announce Loki’s arrival formally to our people.”

“At once, Queen [Y/N].”

Loki’s jaw slackened. He was so caught up that he barely heard what [Y/N] said after her commands. She had already turned around, ready to speak with her council.

“But-” Loki started, making the queen turn around and face him. He had eaten any type of ego he had just for this one consequential question. “Why?”

The queen smiled at him, striding with elegance and poise. “There’s a reason you are here, Loki,” she answered lowly, raising her head to meet his eyes, “and I intend to know what that is.”

“Until then, you’d be the very first guest who has ever stepped foot on our realm for the last hundreds of years,” [Y/N] emphasized, making sure everyone in the room heard her decree. “So, as queen, I raise you to the position of being the official royal guest of Aikenheim.”

“So, relax, take a deep breath and make yourself comfortable…” she whispered before she continued, a hidden meaning behind her eyes, keeping the same gentle smile on her lips, “but only for the meantime.”

“Thank you,” Loki breathed out, completely captivated by the woman, not sure what else to say but that.

[Y/N] smiled warmly as she stepped back away from him. “Welcome to Aikenheim, Loki.”

Right after, the queen nodded over to her soldiers who immediately went by Loki’s side, placing their hands on his back. They urged him to turn and walk as they were to escort him into the palace

“Keep moving,” the soldier by his side ordered but Loki paid him no mind. He still craned his head, trying to catch glimpse of the queen until he couldn’t anymore.

[Y/N] listened carefully, waiting until she heard the slam of the doors. She sighed before turning to face her council and humbly bowing to them to which they returned.

She rose as she gave her people a genuine smile. “We will schedule a meeting later this day to talk of the events to be followed. Thank you for joining us today.”

“It was our pleasure, Queen [Y/N],” they chorused.

“Now if I may.” [Y/N] nodded to all before she started to walk out of the room. Only Mila and General Falti followed her out and into the halls of her kingdom, most likely to finalize the forgotten papers earlier.

All the way and even until they reached her royal office, Queen [Y/N] was too quiet. Mila just had to ask, worried for her. “Anything on your mind, my queen?”

“One in thousands of billions…” [Y/N] breathed out, fully in awe as she stopped in the middle of the room.

The queen turned around to face her two most trusted people before she continued. “That was the chances that anyone would be able to find the lone traveling portal into our realm.”

[Y/N] chuckled as she shook her head, fascinated over the idea. “And yet, that man had beaten the odds.”

The queen walked towards her desk and sat on her chair, still occupied over the subject. “And even showed up alive.”

“He’s a survivor. ” General Falti concluded to which Handmaiden Mila could only scowl at. “I’d rather say lucky bastard.”

Queen [Y/N] chuckled. “Some people would argue that that’s the same.”

“Still, my queen,” Mila argued respectfully. “What will we get out of this. We don’t know what kind of person he is. We may know that he used to be a prince of Asgard. But why would an Odinson be in this place-?

"Loki.”

“Pardon me?”

“Loki was his name,” [Y/N] corrected, remembering how strongly he reacted. “He is not an Odinson, remember? He said it himself forefront.”

“Strengthens my point,” Mila pressed, shaking her head, hoping her queen would understand.

“He is not even the son of the allfather. We will not get anything out of this, out of him. So I ask of you to reconsider. He would not be in anyway beneficial to us and our realm and I’m sure the council will agree with me. We will not get-”

“I’m curious,” [Y/N] interrupted, leaning back to her chair, eyes staring off into a distance before they fell to her stressed handmaiden. “Aren’t you?”

“This isn’t just about him being here.” [Y/N] sat up, staring blankly ahead as she placed her elbows on their table, holding her hands, her tone serious as she went on. “From the little we know of him. It’s also about him in general.”

Mila and Falti both glanced at each other, confused as to what riddles [Y/N] was trying to say. “My queen?”

“He has interested me,” [Y/N] cleared, finally placing her attention at the two.

“There’s something about him. A certain story hidden within him,” [Y/N] continued, closing her eyes momentarily only to see him again. Those green soulful eyes having already taken a hold of her. “Something that baffles you, makes you curious, makes you seek more,” she continued, glancing at the two.

“Something I would  _love_  to know the answer to.”

General Falti nodded, finally understanding what his queen meant. “You plan to experiment on him, learn from him.”

Mila only shook head head, worried of this decision, trying to hide the bad feeling she had over the man. “I doubt he has anything interesting to offer.”

“False, Mila,” [Y/N] remarked as she softly smiled. “Everyone possesses something fascinating. It’s only a matter of how deep it is hidden.”

“Wouldn’t it be great to find out his?” [Y/N] piped, obvious excitement radiating off of her. The questions inside her already nagged for answers to quench their thirst.

“He does offer a new outlook of the outside, a viewpoint that we could always use,” [Y/N] commented, putting purpose on her decision.

“And he’d also mark another chapter in our history,” Falti pointed out.

“Right,” [Y/N] agreed, “he’ll be known as the man who beat the odds.”

“Because in the end, what’s more useful than a bit more knowledge?”

“Excellent decision, my queen,” Falti complimented as he nodded, somehow happy that his queen had made the right decision after all. “It would’ve been a waste if we just killed him.”

[Y/N] nodded before she turned over to her handmaiden who had her gaze downwards, still unsure of this route they decided to take. “It’s more useful than to just go off with his head, don’t you think so, Mila?”

“I do, my queen,” Mila murmured as she faced [Y/N] and smiled, knowing that somehow, her queen always knew better. “You are right.”

“Addition to that, people already knew someone arrived in Aikenheim,” [Y/N] remarked, glancing down to her papers. “They would see it cruel and uncivilized if I deal with him without even knowing anything about him.”

“So, it may have been our only choice,” [Y/N] concluded to which no one in the room could’ve argued with. Angering and disappointing their citizens was the last thing their queen needed at this moment.

“But now,” [Y/N] started, reaching for her pen and paper and writing down.

“We just have to know what’s so special about this man…” she trailed, before she stopped and leaned back, focusing on the one word she wrote on that paper.

_“Loki.”_

* * *

 

“This shall be your quarters, royal guest,” the woman informed, lowering her head at him as the soldiers opened the door, urging him inside. The room was almost as big as his were back in Asgard. It was elegant and simple, a room for a guest no doubt.

“I have been assigned to watch for you and your needs specifically,” the maiden continue, not daring to look at Loki who scanned over the room, confused and uncomfortable as he still didn’t quite understand his position.

He turned around, only to see the woman blankly looking at him with the two soldiers holding the doors. “So if you need anything, please do not hesitate to ask.”

“Can you tell me where I really a-?”

Loki started, walking towards her, panic still hasn’t left his body.

Instead of answering his question, the woman interrupted and bowed again. “I am to leave now, sir,” she announced, turning around.

Loki blinked, paranoia setting in as more questions filled his head. “Um, please can y-”

Before Loki could even finished his question, the woman had already stepped out and the door was shut.

Loki stopped as he was left staring at the closed door. He reached for the handle and pulled, only to find it locked from the outside. His shoulders sagged.

Silently, he turned around and sat on the foot of the bed, now apparently his. Loki scanned his surroundings, all incredibly strange, unfamiliar, nothing like home. But it appears as he can’t even have that memory anymore.

In defeat, Loki shakily sighed as he placed his head in his hands. “Oh Valhalla…” he groaned.

Filled with uncertainty, doubt and fear, Loki didn’t know what to think or what to make of the situation he was thirst upon. He glanced up again, holding himself in his arms before he whispered out loud. “Aikenheim?”


	2. Chapter 2

Loki shifted in his sleep. While the books littered on the foot of his bed. But then there was another gentle tap on his shoulder.

“Wake up, royal guest,” a gentle voice whispered. He hummed in response before he blinked his eyes open.

Once he did, Loki shot up. All the sleep in his eyes long forgotten. There was about six people in his chamber.

“Yes?” Loki asked, eyes shifting warily at everyone in the room. There was two women standing at the side of his bed, no question the ones who woke him.

His gaze landed on the books he was given, some even opened from where he stopped. “I haven’t finished my reading yet.”

“That’s not the reason why we’re here.”

The woman by the door stepped forward while the other servants moved aside in respect. Loki recognized her. She was the woman at the throne room, Handmaiden Mila, the one that insisted on killing him.

The woman held her head high, looking down on him with nothing but indifference. “Your presence is being requested,” she monotoned.

“Please follow us,” she added with a straight face. Her voice remained calm and collected but Loki caught that hint of annoyance in her voice.

“You have a long day ahead of you.”

The woman turned around without another word, but she stopped by the door when she realized Loki didn’t move an inch. She turned her head, glancing at him, her words stained with hint of urgency. “Whenever you’re ready…”

Loki quickly nodded, scrambling to his feet at the thought of being summoned. He followed them through countless of hallways. When they reached their destination, he was greeted by more people.

What happened was they basically groomed him. They showed him the bath and even assisted him with his hair. All of them didn’t speak unless necessary and carried on their work as if it was clockwork. No one even bothered to tell him what was going on to require this much prepping on his part.

“Excuse me, what are you preparing me for?”

Loki’s voice cut through the silence of the room. At his question, the maidens immediately stopped from fixing his under clothes. They all glanced at Handmaiden Mila who remained quiet for most part.

“The queen will answer all questions in a moment,” she answered monotonously. Her face and voice void of any emotion.

“For now, let us perform our duties.”

Loki was given a red ensemble, adorned by leather with a few hints of gold and black. No question that it was the realm’s colors. It wasn’t his style, nor had he worn this type of stuff before but he had to admit that it fit him well.

“Thank you,” Loki muttered to the maiden who finished his buckles for him. The woman only blankly nodded before bowing and stepping back.

Handmaiden Mila stepped forward, raking her eyes over his form with one brow raised, trying to find a flaw. His hair was nicely brushed and styled, his clothes appeared to be in form and. She hummed, though unimpressed.

“He looks well enough,” Mila commented before she turned around a nodded to the other maidens who bowed before they made a path for her.

“Follow me.” And then she was out the door, not even bothering to wait for him.

Loki was quick on his feet. He hurried after the woman, passing by the maidens who turned the other way, obviously have somewhere else to be.

“Wait, wait,” Loki called out for her, a bit winded as to how a handmaiden like her is able to walk that fast. “Wait!”

“Handmaiden Mila,” he called her name, the one he heard the queen call her. She immediately stopped in her tracks, enough to let Loki catch up.

He reached to his side, her posture stiff and her expression kept neutral. “Your name is Mila, am I correct?”

Mila has trained for years and has experience that lasted for decades. She knew both her job and her place and she held those both with pride and elegance. But this man may really be as special as her queen has described when he can get under her skin just by calling her name.

She turned towards him, offering a small bow before forcing a smile to her lips. “Yes, Sir Loki,” she confirmed. “You’ll be correct.”

Loki nodded, before his attention was ripped away by a few marching soldiers along with servants going around their duties.

“I just want to know… what’s happening?” He asked, before taking a look around the busy hallway. Every soldier, every servant, every person that passed by him appeared as if they had somewhere to be.

“Everyone looks so busy.”

“As I said, my queen would answer all,” Mila answered before gesturing to the way, eager to just finish with her work. Loki got the message and nodded, following the woman down the halls

It didn’t take long of nodding over to a dozen people who’d bow at him to reach specific large doors, guarded by two soldiers. As they saw the royal handmaiden, they opened the door without missing a beat.

Mila walked in without any hesitation with Loki behind her. Loki has sat through enough meetings back in Asgard to know what exactly he’s looking at. And it appears that this one is about something really important and effective immediately.

“That would be enough, yes, see to it.”  
In the center, one could see a crowd forming, messy but organized in a way. They were hounding over one person and it didn’t take a genius to know who it was. Especially when one could identify her calm and elegant voice over the polite chattering of the people around her.

The handmaiden suddenly stopped, only a few people acknowledging her presence. But Loki noticed Mila kept her eyes straight, focused on the person she came here for.

“My queen.”

The softness in how Mila uttered those words was what took Loki’s full attention. If he could crease his forehead more in confusion, he would. Loki even caught a glimpse of a smile on her lips as she said that. All this time, he thought she was this emotionless handmaiden.

The rest of the people turned quiet as they acknowledged Mila. Some of the people parted to which shown the only reason the royal handmaiden came: the queen, in all her glory.

Queen [Y/N], standing out from the rest, elegantly lifting her head from the papers she had been reading to place her attention onto the two. Her face lit up in recognition.

“Mila.” She smiled, obviously delighted to see her handmaiden. She turned her head back to her peers, pointing on the various things they had thrusted towards her.

“Carry on with that… notify the planners immediately,” she continued on. One by one, the crowd dissipated, finally having their queen’s needed comments and approvals.

It wasn’t long before [Y/N] had already meet the handmaiden whose obviously lit up as she talked to her. Loki had to stop himself from rolling his eyes. So instead, he remained silent, keeping to himself. He stood there, silently hoping that no one would pay attention to him. He did understand how fragile his place in Aikenheim is. He has absolutely no idea what might happen if he says the wrong words to the person.

“Loki.”

His head snapped up, finding that Queen [Y/N] was already in front of him, smiling gently, with Mila beside her, already unamused at him.

“Good morning,” she added, keeping her smile as the stunned look on the prince’s face entertained her to no end.

Loki swallowed through the sudden dryness in his throat and nodded politely, keeping his stare as respectful as he could. “Good morning.”

“Have you slept well?” The queen followed, obviously wanting to hear more from the man. Loki wasn’t prepared for the attention at all.

“Yes, I have!” He answered immediately. He didn’t want to be mistaken for an ingrate. But he just realized how much he raised his tone that he almost sounded too enthusiastic. He pursed his lips, adjusting his voice.. “Thank you, Queen [Y/N].”

[Y/N] smiled, holding back a grin at how awkward the prince seemed. She laughed it off and gestured to her handmaiden. “I hope Mila hasn’t pushed you too much.”

“No,” Loki answered, “she was…” he trailed, side-glancing towards the handmaiden who had an eyebrow raised with a deadpanned expression. Loki forced a smile to his lips and faced back the queen. “She was fine.”

[Y/N] smiled at that, though she knew Mila wasn’t too keen on the man. It was nice to hear that Mila didn’t give him a rough time. He is a guest after all.

After that, [Y/N] faced back to the crowd, all of which were talking quietly amongst themselves, discussing the upcoming event. “We’ll go on,” she announced. Her voice was calm and collected, but everyone heard as they settled down. [Y/N] bowed her head lightly, a gesture of thanks. “Thank you, everyone, for your work.”

Everyone muttered back their thanks and bowed, [Y/N] turned to Loki, gently holding his arm, leading him towards the doors. “Walk with me.”

“The next few hours will be very packed,” she went on, a couple of people following them with Mila directly behind the two.

“So, I ask you to bear with me,” [Y/N] continued, a couple of people going up to her, needing her signature but her words never deterred. “All arrangements have been made prior to this day.”

She nodded to the people before placing her gaze up, focused. “I do apologize for keeping you in your room but we had to because of this.”

Loki nodded, soaking in the information. But it never really answered his questions. He

“Where are we going?” He asked softly, taking note of how her steps hesitated at his question. “If you don’t mind me asking, that is.”

[Y/N] blinked, stopping for a while, narrowing her eyes in confusion before she turned over to Loki. “Did Mila not prep you?”

Mila softly cleared her throat and sent an apologetic bow to her queen. “I think it might’ve slipped my mind, my queen. I deeply apologize.”

If Loki was in a position to glare at that woman, he would’ve. [Y/N] only shook her head a bit. “There are to be a ceremony, almost like a celebration to happen soon,” she explained.

“It’s an announcement of an honored guest’s arrival.”

“Is that why they’re all-?” Loki trailed to which the queen only nodded.

“You must know that this is a big event for Aikenheim.”

“How big?”

“It will be broadcasted in all of the realm,” Mila intterupted, answering for her queen.

[Y/N] couldn’t stop the chuckle from her lips when she saw the shock flash in Loki’s eyes. She winked. “News travels fast.”

He suddenly felt uneasy. A whole realm would know of his existence here. It was a big deal. He already felt his heart beating out of his chest. “But why me?”

[Y/N] furrowed her brows. “Why not?”

“You’re the very first guest Aikenheim ever had in centuries,” the queen reminded him as a few soldiers seemed to join the group, further solidifying his situation.

“It’s only fitting, don’t you think?”

* * *

 

It didn’t take long before they were escorted to a mother large building. Loki couldn’t hide his amazement as he glanced at the outside, completely entranced by the sights of Aikenheim. And he thought Asgard was amazing.

The carriage they were in headed to what appeared to be a grand arena. Loki glowed at the sight of it. He felt as if he had seen it before; it felt too familiar.

The rest of the ride was a breeze and before he knew it, they were already walking inside the halls and they were a crowd of people surrounding the queen that Loki was pushed behind and was left to walk beside Mila who appeared to be unbothered by it all.

They soon stopped by a large room, one with a huge curtain. The people all circling the queen but the woman held her ground, unfazed as she answered every question with ease.

Loki let himself wonder around, incredibly curious at the low noise heard behind the curtain. He let himself check, raising his fingers over the corner of the fabric, pushing it aside just enough to look. And just to his surprise, hundreds upon hundreds of people were there, new faces on the crowd, sitting and facing the stage. No question that they were here for the announcement, for him.

A soft touch by his shoulder made him jump. He turned around hastily to see a worried look on Queen [Y/N]’s face with Mila right behind her. “Loki?”

“Are you alright?” She asked, sounding close to a mother concerned for her child.

“Y-Yes,” Loki breathed out, only now noticing how he breathed heavily, how his heart was practically beating out of his chest.

[Y/N] pursed her lips, unconvinced by Loki’s answer. She reached forward, placing a calming touch on his arm. “Relax,” she whispered, lowering her voice as she looked him in the eye.

“Yes, you are the reason why they’re all here,” [Y/N] answered as if reading his mind. “But there’s no need to be afraid.”

“Yes,” Mila piped, though unconcerned unlike [Y/N]. “Just sit there and look just as awestruck as you arrived.”

“He doesn’t have to,” [Y/N] corrected, not bothering to break eye contact with Loki. “You can sit there, relax and be yourself.”

[Y/N] pulled away a bit, straightened her posture, holding her head high, still keeping her full attention to the man. “No need to fret or to worry.”

“I will take care of everything.” She smiled, genuinely, hoping it would ease him. Loki took deep breath and nodded, holding onto her words, willing his heart to calm itself.

“Thank you,” Loki sighed out, trying ignore everything but the gentle words of the woman in front of him.

“Of course,” she whispered before turning around and facing Mila. Her hand was still on his arm, giving something Loki to focus on as he controlled his breathing, something warm, something welcoming.

“Is the auditorium ready?” [Y/N] asked to which Mila bowed with a glad expression on her face. “Yes, and so is everyone attending, my queen.”

“Excellent,” she murmured before looking back at Loki, squeezing his arm as he stared at her eyes.

“I’ll go on then.” [Y/N] nodded towards him before letting go, leaving him feeling oddly cold. She stepped closer to Mila who instinctively started to fix her hair and her gown.

“I would just make last minute touch-ups with the royal guest, my queen, and I’ll send him out on cue,” Mila informed as she stood up, giving a bow to her queen who thanked her before turning around and leaving the two alone as other parts of the council escorted her to the

Loki didn’t avert his eyes from her, watching as she held her head high, listening to the constant guidelines being whispered to her by her council as there were two soldiers holding the edge of the curtain, ready to open them on cue. [Y/N] kept calm as if she wasn’t about to face thousands of people.

A handmaiden was fixing her hair when her eyes flickered to her left, catching a glimpse of Loki’s. He felt frozen. [Y/N], on the other hand, nodded to his direction before the people around her stepped back as the curtains were drawn. And she was gone, disappearing from his sight onto the stage. 

The definite sound of rounds of applause from the crowd was heard and soon, they settled. The very faint yet strong voice of the queen could be heard over the defeating silence of the crowd.

Loki took a deep breath, willing himself to relax. He didn’t have anything to do. He let the queen’s words to repeat over and over in his head.  His only instruction was to just stand there, become something to look at, a decoration if he may say. It sounded easy enough; he had been doing that for the majority of his life after all.

While the prince was giving himself a pep talk in his mind, Mila watched him, not bothering to hide the irked expression on her face.

“Don’t be too relaxed,” she interrupted his thoughts, almost snapping him back to reality by her sudden touch on his clothes, arranging them as she should. “That would show cockiness.”

Loki blinked at the woman, fixing his posture as he let her do her work. But her words didn’t make sense to him. “What?”

“You’re supposed to be in an unfamiliar place,” Mila pointed out lamely, focusing on brushing off the stray threads on his clothes.  
“Show bewilderment, excitement, awe,  _fear_.”

“And  _don’t_ ,” Mila paused, glaring up at him for a second, her hold on his lapel getting noticeably rougher, “forget to be thankful.”

She let her gaze settle on him before clearing her throat as her tone softened.  "We kept you alive, so remember that.“

Loki was speechless, shocked even. Mila merely let her head fall again, smoothing down his lapel and fixing the buttons that got themselves undone as if nothing happened. Loki didn’t know what to

"Why are you telling me all this?” He bursted out, not able to keep his mouth shut any longer. He was shocked, offended and scared. He knew she didn’t like him. But he never knew she’d ever tell something like that to her face.

“Because my queen is far too kind to break it to you,” Mila answered in all seriousness, not one bit intimidated by the man’s sudden outburst. She fixed the very last button before pulling away and blankly looking him in the eye.

“I worry that you don’t look past that and see it as it is.”

“As what?”

Mila glanced towards the curtain, unconcerned of his question. Instead, she listened to her queen’s voice, taking note.  

“It’s starting,” she muttered before placing her gaze back at him, taking hold of his arm, almost dragging him towards the end of the curtain. Loki didn’t even have time to ask.

“Don’t forget everything I said,” Mila whispered to his ear, sending unwelcome chills up his spine before opening the curtain and practically pushing him into the light without a forewarning.

Loki blinked, narrowing his eyes as the lights blinded him, not giving him any time to adjust. He could only make out the figures in the crowd as complete silence enveloped the whole arena.

He raised his head, finally adjusting and in a second, there was applause, loud and almost deafening just like the one the queen received. Suddenly, his surroundings blurred, the floor beneath him swaying.

He glanced to his right, only to see [Y/N], absolutely glowing, gesturing to him, with a wide smile decorating her lips.

She beckoned him to come closer, giving him no other choice but follow. He stayed silent by her side. Loki could make out her lips moving, no question continuing her speech. But he didn’t hear a word of it. He felt dizzy. He could only pay attention to the crowd made up of entirely new faces.

They didn’t know him, yet they continued to cheer. Everyone treated him like a new mystery, a new attraction. Something to look at, something to stare at, something to entertained of.

Loki didn’t understand the abrupt tightening in his chest as his mind continued to work against him. He felt trapped. He felt caged. He felt used. And he could do nothing about it.

The worst part was that he could remember just how this felt, how to be some kind of a glorified decoration for someone. But now the whole crowd has changed, everything had. It was supposed to be familiar but it felt completely foreign, unknown.

“Loki?”

A hushed soft voice snapped him from his thoughts. He glanced at the queen- [Y/N] who was staring at him, keeping her voice low not to attract any unnecessary attention. “Are you alright?”

Her words was distorted and his mouth bled a bitter taste. At any moment, he knew his knees might give out but his instincts pushed him to continue, to remember what he was taught, to use it to his advantage. But it proved harder when it was right in front of him.

“Yes,” he breathed out, pushing the words out of his chest, willing himself to not give in as he held the queen’s stare. “I’m only in awe…”

“And very thankful… to you…” Loki whispered, finally finished. He felt a different kind of relief, one that isn’t so complete. He waited anxiously for her response but [Y/N] had an unreadable expression, face void of any reaction.

[Y/N] was analyzing him, attempting to read between the prince’s lines. Loki only pursed his lips and offered the most genuine smile he could muster.

After a quick moment, Queen [Y/N] pulled back, holding her head up and giving a nod to the man. “I’m glad to hear that.”

She faced the crowd, continuing with her speech while Loki let himself relax, letting her words breeze right through him. The crowd cheered as he was rewarded with a round of applause just for standing there. Loki already knew this part. He waved, nodding- almost bowing- to the people, smiling as much as he needed to.

Behind that charming smile, Loki was in shambles. This may be more hospitality than he deserves but he knew more than anyone that this would run out soon. He needed to get out of there. There was no question that that handmaiden wouldn’t be alone with her way of thinking. She surely wanted him out of their realm.

But now, looking around, no exits, no escapes. Nowhere to go. Because when everyone cheers, to who shall he go to for help?


	3. Chapter 3

Don’t get him wrong. Loki was all too thankful that these people didn’t ask more from him. He also enjoyed being fed all these new information. It gave him something to vent on rather than just staring at the four walls of his room.

But after nine long days of having no other forms of amusement than having to read and familiarize with the countless books of Aikian history and etiquette that is given to him every hour with no permission to leave his room, he can get more unsavory than appropriate.

“Sir Loki?”

Loki raised his head from the pages that he was sure was copied word by words from another book he already finished, eyes focusing on a new sight other than blank ink on aged papers. And there they were, right on time.

The handmaidens were carrying a stack of books along with soldiers to open the door for them. The same faces he has seen for the past days. Loki pursed his lips, trying to hide his disappointment as he has thought the last batch would be final.

“Thank you,” he muttered, “please put it with the rest.” Loki automatically cringed at his own words.

He wasn’t sure how many times he has repeated those words for the past consecutive days but it was beginning to sound robotic and he didn’t like where that was headed.

* * *

 

Day ten and he was more than ready for some fresh air.

From the moment he woke up, Loki felt more caged than ever.

He was falling. It seemed like just when he’d reach rock bottom, the ground would keep getting farther and farther, trapping him in an eternal fall, damning him to darkness with no end. It was terrifyingly horrible.

He woke up in cold sweat, shaking, heart thumping out his chest, tears rolling down his cheeks. He didn’t know what to do. Something in him ached to be let out of the room, almost as if seeing the stars was the only way to calm him down. But, he was brought back to reality when he tried to open the door, only to find out that it was locked from the outside, like some sort of cage.

Loki started to breathe heavily, panic setting in, feeling as though the walls were closing in on him. His eyes continued to tear up as he tried to put more force on the doors, silently wishing they’d just open and let him go. But they didn’t, they were locked shut. He couldn’t do anything about it.

But for now, all he could do is sink to the ground, hold himself tightly in his arms, and wish for morning to come by quickly.

Instead of letting his nightmares catch up to him, he focused on the piles of books now being accumulated around his room. Loki had this idea in his head that if he finished all of them, he might be allowed to finally get some sunlight and he was standing by it.

Though, every time he feels like he’s made a dent with the stacks, two servants will already be outside his door, arms no doubt filled with more books for him to drown his sanity in.

“If you haven’t seen me even touch the books you’ve given earlier, then why would you give me more?”

The two servants immediately stopped mid-arranging the books they just brought in. Loki hadn’t even raised his eyes from the book he currently had in his hands.

The servants glanced at each other, unsure of what to say before one worked up the courage to speak in a hushed voice. “We just thought-” she immediately ceased her words as Loki abruptly stopped from turning the page, eyes still fixated on the page.

The room was immediately filled with tension as two women could feel the prince’s temper even without his glare. One of them was already shaking.

“We apologize-”

“Leave,” Loki interrupted, uncaring, continuing to turn the page and focusing on the new chapter.

Loki was only a paragraph in when he realized that the servants didn’t follow him. They stayed exactly where they stood, frozen on their spots. They couldn’t even follow the easiest of instructions. He clenched his jaw, trying best to keep his temper but it was too late. That was the last of his patience.

“Did you not hear me?” He hissed, closing the long forgotten book as he point his anger at the two poor fear-stricken women in front of him.

“Leave!” Loki bursted out, poison dripping from his glare.

The two women jumped at his tone, hurriedly apologizing as they scrambled out the door, filled with fear and shock over the prince’s outburst.

As the door closed, the silence enveloped Loki’s cage once again. He took a deep breath, before forcing his focus back to his book, repeating the same thoughts in his head. If he finishes all of these damned books, he’ll get out. He’ll finally be out of this room.

* * *

 

“Lady Shula.”

The lady recognized the two women as the ones she assigned to deliver the books to the royal guest. But by the looks of it, they had more on their plate than they were to be. They seemed to be both ashamed and terrified.

“What is it?” The Lady asked, worried over what could’ve gotten her girls to be this shaken up.

Lady Shula listened attentively to the scene depicted by the maids. To be honest, she wasn’t surprised of what she heard. She was specifically told that this may happen.

After the story, Lady Shula nodded and comforted the girls. She reassured them that she knew exactly what to do. “I will notify her immediately.”

The news truly did travel fast. The news reached the Royal Handmaiden Mila and she was not happy. From the moment Lady Shula approached her, she knew it was because of that man. Mila knew that that man was bad news and she had no problem showing him his place in this realm.

“Come in,” Loki muttered, the annoyance in his words clear as day even through the door.

“Sir Loki,” Mila greeted as soon as she opened the door. The prince was leaning gracefully on a chair, surrounded by what can be only described as a well-organized mess, piles and piles of books in different colors and sizes.  "I must talk to you.“

"Don’t you see I’m still busy?” Loki muttered, uninterested. The man didn’t even bother to acknowledge her existence by simply looking up his book.

“This is of great import.”

“I don’t care, come back when I’m finished.” Loki merely waved her off, unaware that the handmaiden was already clenching her fists at her sides.

“I have to talk to you about how you treated my maidens,” Mila ranted out, keeping her voice as calm and steady as her queen taught her.

Loki’s eyes lifted from the pages, almost as if he pondered on that thought. But it ended quite quickly when he let his gaze fall back onto the book, turning to the next chapter.

“Whatever they say, it’s not my fault,” Loki defended right off the bat. “They know their error. Ask them.”

“No, they do not,” Mila asserted; this close to grating her teeth. “Because they have done nothing to receive such treatment.”

“They have done exactly as they’re told,” Mila started, keeping her head high, looking down at the man that was completely unbothered.

“Unlike you.”

Loki stopped. His whole stature stiffened at her words. Mila raised he head, satisfied that she made him crack. But he only closed the book in his hands and stood up from his chair, placing the object on his bed. He fixed his ensemble before he strode elegantly across the room towards the woman, his hands behind his back.

When he made his way towards Mila, he stopped right in front of her. The height difference was undoubtable, forcing Mila to raise her head. Loki cleared his throat lightly before letting his gaze fall to the woman.

“Excuse me,” he whispered gently and lowly completely calm and collected. He looked down at the woman with lidded eyes. The tension in the room increased tenfold just by the icy glare of the prince. “What did you just say?”

Mila was unmovable. Nothing Loki showed intimidated her. She let out a bitter chuckle, not backing down from the glare of the prince. Instead, she returned it with a small smirk.

“Did I say something untrue,  _royal guest?_ ”

Loki clenched his jaw at the woman. She was confident. And rightfully so. She was someone around here. This was her realm and she had some sort of power, some authority. Forming an enemy while he’s here is last thing he needs and he knows that.

Though he was against it, he knew what he had to do. Loki stepped back, not letting his glare falter. “I’m not having this conversation with the likes of you.”

And with that, Loki passed her, leaving through the door she left opened.

Mila blinked before she turned around and ran after the man.

“Where are you going?” She hissed as she tried to match the man’s steps who was making great time.

“Don’t you have eyes?” Loki sassed, keeping his eyes straight, letting himself soak in his surroundings. “I need fresh air.”

“That room is becoming more and more like a cage.” He inwardly cringed, remembering the bleak four walls that felt like it was closing around him.

“I need to see sunlight,” Loki murmured, taking a moment to watch the merry scene outside the window. He just realized how much he missed those when he was trapped in a room without windows or opening doors.

“You are not authorized to leave your room,” Mila pressed as she blocked his way, hiding the fact that she was breathless just trying to catch up to him.

Loki pursed his lips, getting more and more annoyed at this handmaiden by the minute. He glanced back to her, irritated. “Pardon me but I didn’t realize I was imprisoned there.”

Mila forced out a small laugh, amused of the prince’s chosen words. “Oh, Sir Loki, you will know when you are being imprisoned.” She smiled sweetly, stepping closer to look him in the eye, before it fell. “And that was far from it,” she spat.

“Are you threatening me?” Loki whispered back, already entering the point of no return.

“I didn’t realize my words were that suggestive,” Mila gasped, feigning innocence before she let the facade fall and smirked. “But please do so what you think is appropriate,” she taunted.

That was Loki’s endpoint. As much as he didn’t want any trouble, he couldn’t take being blatantly insulted at face value. Mila turned and started to walk away until Loki called her back.

“What is your problem with me,” Loki hissed through clenched teeth, searing a hole right though the woman’s back.

“Please go back to your room, Sir Loki,” Mila monotoned before she continued her walk.

“No!” He persisted. Loki quickly cut the woman off, blocking her way. Mila merely glanced at him, unbothered by how red in the face the prince already looked. He looked like he was about burst.

“You have a problem and I demand to know whatever the hel it is,” Loki demanded firmly, jaw clenched right, nostrils flaring.

Even with all that, Mila chose to walk away, only to have Loki grab her by the arm and pull her back to face him.

“Tell me!” He shouted at her face. Mila only pulled her arm back in, silently telling herself not to waste energy on that man but she also reached her limits.

“You had your orders,” she spat slowly, answering his question. Sure to drill it into his head.

“Couldn’t you have stuck with them like a grateful bastard?!” Mila exclaimed.

Loki huffed a sarcastic laugh. He can’t believe something so small can irk her so much. “What do you want me to do then!”

“Haven’t it be explained?” Mila, at this point, was convinced that she was talking to a child. All her manners was thrown out the window.

“Read!” She shouted back. “Read the materials given to you!”

“How  _stupid_  do you have to be to not understand the smallest of instructions?!” She stressed, staring the man in the eye. Loki could just feel her rage just from the sharpness her glare. “All that was asked of you was to read the books and stay in your room.”

“Isn’t doing what you’re told a small price to pay for sparing your life?!”

“This is not sparing!” Loki boomed, something in what she said just made him snap. Keeping him in a locked room, voiding him of any outside interaction and forcing him to absorb information over and over again; that wasn’t sparing. To him, it was enough to be torture. “It’s not!”

“It’s definitely more than you deserve!” Mila spat back.

Something just broke in Loki. What he deserved was not in his wench’s hands. She doesn’t get to decide what he deserves or not. His vision just blurred as his rage took over him. He raised his hand. “How dare you?!-”

“Loki!”

He stopped. The two froze in recognition of that strong voice bouncing off the palace walls. Mila immediately turned around and bowed low in the opposite direction. Loki glanced up, and there she was: Queen [Y/N] in all her glory, with a stone cold expression on her face.

The queen made no haste, her heels clicking against the tiles of the floor, piercing into the defeating silence in the room as Loki just felt the gaze of that woman right through him.

[Y/N] stopped right in front of Loki as Mila moved from the way, still bowing to her queen. That left only Loki to have the receiving end of everything the queen  "What’s happening here?“

"Is there a problem?”

Loki swallowed the lump in his throat. His anger already drained from his body as his common sense finally came to play. He knew he was in for it.

“Queen [Y/N]…” Loki breathed out, unsure what to say and how he can save himself now.

But Mila, she already had everything figured out. She finally raised her head, the most remorseful look plastered on her face and the raging woman Loki had a screaming battle with was nowhere in sight.

“It’s all my fault, my queen,” Mila confessed, tears shimmering in her eyes. “I failed to control my temper. I should’ve known not to par with the royal guest.”

“I should’ve known my place. Please forgive me. I didn’t-” she choked.

Loki’s jaw almost unhinged. Mila’s eyes were glossy, almost as if she was fighting back her tears. How she already took full responsibility framed Loki in such a bad light that it was incredible. This woman was worse than he thought.

“No,” [Y/N] refused to hear it, her gaze was already on the man.

“Loki,” she called, ripping his attention from Mila’s performance. But just the soft crease in her forehead was more than enough to intimidate his whole being.

“How dare you shout at my handmaiden,” [Y/N] started, perfectly calm but that just added more fuel to the fire. Before Loki could even open his mouth to start defending himself, [Y/N] interrupted.

“I don’t care whatever wrong you think she’s done,” [Y/N] monotoned but there was this accusing tony in her voice that could hit him where it hurt. “You have no right to shout at anyone here.”

“Mila was just attending to her duties as what you should be doing,” she pointed out sternly, slowly losing her calm. “But instead you’re here, out of you room, causing a scene, harassing my handmaiden.”

[Y/N] gestured to her obviously bothered handmaiden, who was already crying softly with her head bowed down. Loki pursed his lips, knowing full well pointing the blame to Mila would put him in more trouble.

“Queen [Y/N], I wasn’t-”

“No.” she raised a finger, immediately shutting Loki up. She resisted the urge to grate her teeth as her temper slowly made itself known. She took a deep breath and muttered, “I will not hear it.”

Loki nodded, stepping back. He knew she was holding herself back and he could only imagine how she’d react if she didn’t have to control herself.

“Loki,” she sighed softly, closing her eyes as she pressed a finger to her temple, no question deeply disappointed in him. “You are intelligent.”

“I know that. You know that,” [Y/N] started before looking up at him, her head held high. “So, answer me this.”

“How bad do you think the people, my people,” she emphasized, a certain harshness prominent in her tone. “Would react if they knew I’d just  _kill_  off any who stumbles upon our realm?”

Silence. Loki didn’t know how to reply to that. He was taken back. He never thought he’d hear those words from the queen, especially since he knew well what a threat sounds like. He opened his mouth, hoping the right things to say would come to him just like always but the queen didn’t grant him that chance.

“In the end, this is all political,” [Y/N] stressed, instantly shutting him up. “What you’re receiving right now is not just from the goodness of my heart.”

“I don’t want you to have the idea that you’re untouchable just because you’re a guest,” the queen ended. Loki couldn’t help but shake the idea that she got that thought from somewhere.

“That was not my intention,” he immediately denied, his head shooting up as he made the small attempt of defending himself before he realized he might have overstepped. “Queen [Y/N]…” he added quickly, lowering his head, averting his gaze to the ground.

[Y/N] finally relaxed, eyes still trained on the man, somehow satisfied with the man’s actions as she could now step back. “Then we have an understanding.”

Loki kept his head down; he could feel the queen’s icy gaze drill a hole through his skull. He can almost imagine the look on her face as she judges him. “You serve a purpose, Loki.”

“Like everyone here does,” [Y/N] pointed out, keeping her voice civil and regal. “Don’t show me anything that can undermine that purpose.”

Loki raised his head and smiled as soft and as genuine as he could. “You have mercifully spared my life. Why would I ever do anything against your favor?”

“I’m only happy to be serving any use to the precious queen of Aikenheim.” He bowed deeply, offering up all his respect to the queen. [Y/N] could only look down on him, analyzing his every move with her eyes.

After what felt like ages, Loki felt Queen [Y/N] take a step back. “Come, Mila.”

Loki remained that way, waiting patiently. He glanced up, only to watch the women leave him in the middle of the halls, like some lowly common folk unearthly of the queen’s presence.

He watched them through his lashes as they left. He clenched his jaw and  resisted the need to punch the wall. He knew what he saw. There was faint hint of a smile on that handmaiden’s lips.

* * *

 

Now he was really in for it.

Loki wasn’t an idiot. He couldn’t believe he let this happen. He knows he’s basically living off of the queen’s mercy. But now that she wasn’t too keen on him, he was in trouble. He needed to fix this. Or he needed to get out of here.

He couldn’t die like this. If he was on thin ice before, now he’s completely in danger.

Loki’s head perked up once he heard that familiar soft knock on the door. He took the books the maidens gave him with a smile, holding back his tongue when they kept coming. Instead of glaring at them, he thanked the women immensely for bringing him more materials.

He even bit back his urge to sigh in relief when the maidens finally came with the final batch. He thanked them and went back to work, taking the words he read to heart.

The very next day, he had a book filled with his favorite era of Aikian history in hand. He had begged the servants to let him out with them with the reason that he can give the book to the queen and personally thank her. Luckily, they agreed and let him find Queen [Y/N].

Loki has been shifting from feet to feet, getting more and more and anxious by the minute. The guards helpfully pointed him to the queen’s location. He settled waiting outside, knowing better not to interrupt the queen and the council’s meeting.

Loki spent his time rehearsing in his head the proper greeting, trying to remember what best to say to an upset woman, a queen especially. Frigga has taught him for years, showing him the manners a prince should possess and now he has to use them to save his life. It should be easy. He has done worse after all.

The door suddenly opened in front of him, knocking his confidence and practiced dialogue right off. Queen [Y/N] was there, surrounded by her council members, talking calmly as they conversed about what to be done. Loki stepped back once he realized the crowd didn’t see him. He craned his neck, trying to see her over the people but failed. They all covered the queen’s surroundings that she didn’t even notice him.

“[Y/N]-” He called out, his voice rising from all the other chatter. Everyone immediately quieted down at his word, all turning around to see who said it. Loki felt the wind got knocked out of his lungs. It was too eerie.

[Y/N] turned, the prince finally having her attention. Loki immediately bowed down, realizing his mistake. “Queen [Y/N]…” he corrected himself as he muttered respectfully.

“Sir Loki,” [Y/N] answered back, walking towards the man, the crowd parting for their queen. Loki lifted his head, placing his gaze on her emotionless face. She lifted an eyebrow, having more important places to be at the moment.

“Is there a reason for this?”

Loki cleared his threat, his eyes genuinely concerned and humble.

“I know this is beyond my limits… as I’ve overstepped them not long ago but,” he paused, aware that he’s pushing his luck and judging by the look on [Y/N]’s face, she was daring him to.

“May I ask for a portion of your time?”

[Y/N]’s brows knitted, seemingly taken back at the prince’s request. She gave him a once-over, trying to decipher what was going on in the man’s head. It only resulted in Loki feeling more anxious than ever as her look on him never faltered.

“Dismissed,” [Y/N] ordered, momentarily shocking Loki. All the people behind her bowed as [Y/N] gestured Loki to follow her. “Come with me.”

Loki followed [Y/N] like some obedient puppy to their owner. She seemed to be taking him somewhere more remote, away from any prying ears. Once there was no one in sight, she stopped, her back still turned on him.

“What is it that you need from me?” She asked suddenly before turning around, her expression still emotionless as before. “And I advise you to make it quick.”

“I sincerely apologize for my actions.,” Loki jumped to it, stepping forward and his forehead creased in hopes of gaining the queen’s sympathy. “I did not mean to overstep my boundaries and yell at Mila.”

“My emotions got the better of me and I know that’s no excuse,” Loki confessed, never forgetting to keep eye contact before letting his gaze fall as his voice gotten lower. “I could only hope for your forgiveness, Queen [Y/N],” he ended.

Loki could only wait for the woman’s reaction, anxious for her response. [Y/N] kept her expression blank until it softened before she sighed, glancing to the ground.

“I understand.” The queen nodded. “I apologize as well.”

“I should’ve known how hard this must be for you,” she added with genuine sorrow tinted on her tone.

Loki opened his mouth to defend himself and continue begging for forgiveness when it struck him. Did he even hear those words right?

Because if his ears weren’t deceiving him, then that went extremely better than he thought. He could only purse his lips, patiently waiting for [Y/N]’s next words. He didn’t know what to say at this point. He practiced for a reaction much worse than this.

“In fact, let me make it up to you,” [Y/N] piped as she brightened, a though popping in her mind. Loki was quick to his feet. He knew how to play to this role.

“That won’t be necessary. It’s I who have done the wrong.  I should be-”

[Y/N] raised her hand. “I insist.”

“I should’ve known that might happen if we kept you locked up in your room.”

“There was just so many things happening, so many issues that we couldn’t bear to have you out to public again.” [Y/N] appeared to be much more apologetic than he did. Loki’s interest did spike when she mentioned something about issues that were no doubt of him.

“But that’s on me. I should’ve considered what you were going through. It was unlike me to decide so harshly,” [Y/N] explained only to which Loki nodded, wanting to sound as interested as possible.

“So, as an apology, perhaps you may consider this,” [Y/N] proposed as she gently smiled.

“Aikenheim is massive.” She gestured to the windows, the calming scenery of the outside momentarily capturing Loki’s focus. “There’s so many places to see, so much to know, so much to experience just in this kingdom alone.”

“And there’s so much that’s not written on paper.” [Y/N] nodded to the book still in his hands.

“I think it’s only proper that you get a worthy guide, don’t you think so?”

Loki’s eyes widened. He didn’t see that one coming. He knew how valuable it was to have someone as busy as the head of a realm offer you their time. If by anything, he is maybe given one of the most sought for things this realm could offer. And he didn’t even need to work hard for it.

“So, what do you say?”

At that moment, a tiny voice in Loki’s head was shouting out to him that this was his chance, to get back on the good side. He visibly lit up. “With an offer like that?”

“How can I say no?”


End file.
